Nothing is quite as cozy as sitting next to your fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa in your hand. Collecting firewood for this ambiance is more than just getting the permit to go chop down a tree. It takes time and wood needs time to season. Milam’s Tree Service is here to talk about the process of seasoning firewood.

Why Does Firewood Need to be Seasoned?

You may ask, “does firewood really need to be seasoned?” The answer to that question is, yes. Dry firewood burns much better, safer and hotter than wet, unseasoned firewood. When firewood is not seasoned, it has a high water content in it. If you burn wood that has a lot of moisture still in it, there is a greater risk of house fire because of the increased amount of creosote that accumulates in the chimney when the wet firewood is burning. Not only does wet firewood pose a safety risk, but it can be very frustrating to use. It doesn’t burn very easily and getting a fire started with wet firewood is sometimes almost impossible. Once you get the fire started, you will notice that there is a lot more smoke when the wood is wet and the fire isn’t a very hot one. There is a lot of heat absorbed in evaporating the added amount of moisture in the wood.

How to Properly Season Firewood

Here are the steps necessary to properly season firewood:
1. Give Firewood Time to Season– If you are planning on cutting firewood for the fall and winter, you need to cut it down in the late spring to give it the time it needs to dry out.
2. Split the Firewood– When you split the wood rather than leaving it in logs, you will find the wood seasons much faster.
3. Store Firewood Off the Ground– Don’t stack your firewood directly on the ground. Even if you can get it off the ground a couple of inches, it gives your firewood the air circulation in needs and keeps it from soaking up moisture from the earth. You will also keep bugs and fungus off your wood when it isn’t stored on the ground.
4. Use the Sun to Dry Firewood Faster– Let your firewood sit out in the sun during the summer months. This will dry out your wood faster.
5. Cover Firewood– Keep the firewood protected from the elements to avoid adding more moisture to it during storms.
6. Stack Firewood Neatly– By stacking your firewood neatly in rows or criss-cross rows, it allows air to circulate and aid in the drying out process. It is also easier to judge the amount of firewood you have, and gauge when you are in need of more.

Firewood Sales & Supply in McDonough, Jackson, Jonesboro, Fayetteville & Hampton as well as Fayette, Clayton & Henry Counties in Central Georgia

If you find yourself needing firewood for these cold months we have ahead of us, it is too late to cut down your own and have it seasoned and ready. Milam’s Tree Service offers oak firewood that has been seasoned for six months to keep your fire safely blazing this winter. Call us today!